how do you refinish a stained interior door

DIY: How To Refinish Interior Doors

• Step 1: Remove the door from the hinge Using a screwdriver, drive the pin in the hinge from the bottom up. ...
• Step 2: Apply stripping gel ...
• Step 3: Sand the door ...
• Step 4: Stain the door ...
• Step 5: Lightly sand door surface ...
• Step 6: Apply clear finish ...
• Step 7: Hang the door ...

Full Answer

How to refinish an exterior door the easy way?

• Penetrating finishes harden in the wood. The first option would be using a penetrating finish, such as Watco exterior stains. ...
• Use varnish with compatible stain. A second choice would be a multicoat varnish system. ...
• Follow instructions and do an annual inspection. ...

How to lighten stained doors?

Method 1 Method 1 of 3: Bleaching the Wood

1. Apply finish stripper to the wood you want to lighten and let it sit for 20 minutes. ...
2. Scrape off the finish from the wood with a plastic scraper. ...
3. Mix together your wood bleach solution. ...
4. Spread the bleach mixture onto your wood. ...
5. Neutralize the bleach with a white vinegar solution after 30 minutes. ...
6. Wipe the wood clean with a wet cloth. ...

More items...

What is the best stain for exterior door?

• True black stain
• Gets a nice color with only one coat
• Can be easily applied with a piece of clean cloth
• Starts penetrating the wood after 15-20 minutes

How to stain and finish a wooden door?

Water-Based Stains

• Are lower in odor than oil-based stains.
• Dry faster, enabling you to stain and finish in one day.
• Require only soap and water for clean-up.
• Come in a wider range of vibrant stain colors.

Can you Restain a door that's already stained?

The key to restaining a previously stained door with gel stain is sanding just enough to remove any protective sealer that's left on the door. You don't need to sand down to bare wood, but you do need to remove that shiny layer of protection before staining again.

How do you refinish a wood stained door?

How to Refinish a Wood DoorRemove door hardware. Photo by Kit Latham. ... Sand the flats. Photo by Kit Latham. ... Scrape the moldings. Photo by Kit Latham. ... Hand-sand profiles and clear away dust. Photo by Kit Latham. ... Seal door edges before rehanging. ... Choose a finish and apply first coat. ... Apply final coat and reattach hardware.

How do you Restain a door without removing it?

DIY Steps to Restain a Wood DoorOpen your door wide enough to be able to apply the finish to every spot. ... Put a drop cloth down to protect your floors.Use wood cleaner to clean all dirt, grime, oils, and bird poo off the door. ... Once it has completely dried, sand the entire door lightly with 120-grit sandpaper.More items...

Can you sand and Restain hollow core doors?

I like to sand down the door with a medium sandpaper to rough up the surface. Don't skimp on the sanding—the paint won't stick to the door as well if you don't really rough up the glossy surface enough. Then, do a coat or two of a stain-blocking primer to keep the wood stains from bleeding through.

Do you have to sand off stain before restaining?

To lighten a stain, before applying a new one, you will need to strip down the existing stain. This will be a bit of an involved project, so make sure you research to understand the tools required. Intense sanding will be involved, so having a power sander and respirator would be useful.

Can you Restain over stained wood?

You can stain over the water-based stain with water-based wood stain so long as you restain using a darker shade. You will need to strip varnish using sandpaper or chemical stripper before you will be able to restain the wood.

Can I just paint over a stain?

And you certainly can paint over stain, choosing the method that best suits the type of stain on the surface and the kind of paint you wish to use. Keep in mind, however, that proper prep is essential; skimp on these steps and tannins from the stain would likely bleed unattractively onto the fresh paint.

Can I Restain an interior door?

Refinish with Gel Stain Use a rag to apply a small amount of gel stain to a test spot on your door. Cover the rest of the door in an even layer of gel stain with a foam brush or rag when it's dry and you're sure it's right for you. Let it sit for a few minutes and then wipe away the excess.

Can I paint over stain without sanding?

Can you paint over stained wood without sanding? If you use the right primer, you don't have to do any sanding before painting. Some of the items you can paint without sanding include cabinets, furniture, and trim molding. For the best results, though, sanding is recommended.

How do you make an old interior door look new?

6 Ways to Update Interior DoorsChange the Door Hardware. One quick update you can do is switch out your door hardware. ... Add a Fresh Coat of Paint. Sometimes all your doors need is a new coat of paint! ... Use Molding to Create a Designer Look. ... Create Panel Doors with Plywood. ... Add Accents with Stencils. ... Apply Wallpaper.

How do you make hollow wood doors look better?

1:503:00How to Update a Flat Panel Hollow Core Door | Ask This Old HouseYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipYeah brushing it on by hand you get a nice kind of grain texture to it where if we rolled it you getMoreYeah brushing it on by hand you get a nice kind of grain texture to it where if we rolled it you get a little bit more of a nap. So it's not bad to put that that grain look to it.

How do you make a hollow core door look good?

0:053:41How to Dress Up a Hollow-Core Door | This Old House - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipIf you're living with builder grade slab style doors we can show you an easy trick to dress them upMoreIf you're living with builder grade slab style doors we can show you an easy trick to dress them up in fact you can mimic the look of a traditional. Door by applying frames of molding.

Can you stain over varnished wood without sanding?

Stain over varnished wood without sanding is not recommended. Because staining should do after sanding the wood surface thoroughly. Otherwise, the stain will not penetrate inside the porous structure of the wood.

Can you paint over stained wood without sanding?

Yes. You certainly can. But you do need to prep it properly first. There are a few ways to do this, but we choose to use an oil based primer to prepare our varnished wood for new paint.

Do you have to sand stained wood before staining?

Sand Thoroughly The best way to stain wood is to prepare the wood surface by sanding it with a sanding block or orbital sander. Sandpaper with a lower grit number will make wood rougher, allowing more stain to absorb and creating a darker color. Start with 120-grit sandpaper on refinished pieces.

Do you have to sand a stained door before painting?

Most stained doors have a coat of polyurethane on top of the stain for protection and a smooth finish. While sanding down to bare wood is not necessary, sanding through the polyurethane coat and scuffing up the surface is required to give the primer something to grip to.

DIY: How To Refinish Interior Doors

When managing rental properties, costs can add up quickly. Routine maintenance doesn’t require just the tools and supplies to complete the job, it can also require the cost to hire labor in order to complete the tasks. One way to reduce costs is to select some tasks that can be done on your own in a timely manner.

Step 1: Remove the door from the hinge

Using a screwdriver, drive the pin in the hinge from the bottom up. Start with the lowest hinge and work your way up until you can remove the door completely.

Step 2: Apply stripping gel

After removing the door from the hinges, rest it on a pair of sawhorses. With a brush, spread a gel-type stain over the surface of the door. Read the instructions for the gel and allow it to sit for the recommended amount of time. Once the required time has passed scrape the old finish from the surface of the door.

Step 3: Sand the door

Using a random orbital sander, sand the surface on the first pass with 100 grit sandpaper. To complete the process, use 220 grit sandpaper on the final pass before using the door stain. Wipe down all of the dust on the door with a tackcloth, then flip the door over and repeat the same process on the other side.

Step 4: Stain the door

Choose the color of stain for your door. Using a soft bristle brush, apply the stain to the surface of the door. Brush as evenly as possible in order to avoid runs and drips. Once you are done, allow for the stain to dry before moving on to the next step.

Step 5: Lightly sand door surface

With 220-grit sandpaper, sand the door lightly and wipe off any dust with a tackcloth. Then flip the door over and repeat the process on the other side, wiping it down with a tackcloth when done.

Step 6: Apply clear finish

Using a soft-bristle brush, apply three coats of clear finish. Follow the instructions for the proper drying team in between applying each coat. Using 0000 steel wool, polish the door between the first and second coats. After using the steel wool, polish with a tackcloth.

What to use to protect stained front door?

Spar Urethane. To protect your newly stained front door, you should cover it with a protectant. Spar urethane is suggested in a satin or gloss finish of your choice. Make sure your urethane is approved for exterior use.

How to tell if front door is wood?

Standing on a step stool or ladder with the front door open, look at the top of your front door to see the layers of wood.

How many grit sandpaper to remove urethane?

You might require 5 sheets of 80 grit sandpaper to remove the urethane, then an additional 5 sheets of 120 grit sandpaper to smooth everything out.

How to stop drips from leaking out of door?

Put a drop cloth or old newspaper under your door to catch any drips that may occur.

Can you use a foam brush to stain a door?

You can apply stain using a brush, however many people prefer to use an old rag. If you do not want to clean your brush, you can use a foam brush, however have plenty on hand since they tend to tear and break. Disposable gloves are suggested since this step can get messy. Since your front door will need to remain open while the stain dries, ...

Can you refinish a stained wood door?

If your stained wood front door is looking old and weathered, or you want to change the color of the stain, you can refinish it yourself with a few tools and several hours of work.

Can you sand a wood door?

If your home is not very old, you will most likely see stripes of wood showing the thickness of the wood veneer on the 4 most visible sides of your door. If the wood veneer stripe is very thin, do not sand the door because you could ruin it. If you have at least 1/8" of wood veneer, you should be able to sand your door.